


M.L.D.E.: Winner Take All

by HookedonCS



Category: Pitch (TV 2016)
Genre: A bit of UST, Bets & Wagers, F/M, Friendship, Ginny's used to it, Mike's full of himself, POV Ginny, classic Bawson banter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 01:58:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17695439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HookedonCS/pseuds/HookedonCS
Summary: “So maybe… a bet would help you see your way through it,” he finally completed. With a hand on his knee and a quiet groan, he sat up in his chair. “One month, starting with today’s game,” Mike said, leveling her with a challenging stare. “If you can lower your foul average to… let’s say four per game…” He paused to give her a shit-eating grin that was probably beyond his conceited control to keep in. It was more so the number that had her curious though. “Then I win.”Or... A competition where the winner gets to pick their prize and they choose a date with the other.





	M.L.D.E.: Winner Take All

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JoyBooth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoyBooth/gifts).



Ginny tried not to think about how she was currently averaging just under four fouls per game- or how that fact meant that  simultaneously made Mike ahead in their bet… Nope, she decided to focus on how utterly  _ idiotic  _ those facts meant that she was  _ this  _ close to actually having to live through the Mike Lawson Dating Experience. And it  _ would  _ be an experience, no doubt about it.

He must’ve gotten her to agree to  _ this  _ bet at a very  _ weak  _  moment. Or maybe at a very  _ heated  _ moment. Whatever. Because it had been she who had admitted, easily, that those who don’t hit… well… pitch. And it was definitely her  _ pitching _ that had gotten her to the Major Leagues. And  _ not _ \- she’d repeat-  _ not _ hitting. Not that that meant she was  _ awful.  _ Not that any of that mattered at the moment.…

The truth was… no matter how close she was to holding no more than four fouls per game this close at the end of a thirty-day period, it she were under the four, then she’d lose the bet. And Mike Lawson would be proclaimed the winner.

No pressure. At all...

****

 

**_26 days ago..._ **

“Baker.”

Ginny reluctantly looked up from the iPad splayed in her hands, actually having to yank it away if she was going to be honest. She felt the instant frown permeate her entire face because of it. 

Leaned over their shared table, Mike had the nerve to snap his fingers in front of her face, which only deepened the scowl on her face.

“What?” she questioned him before shaking her head and slamming two fingers down to pause the video. 

“I was wondering the same thing,” Mike muttered.

Looking back at him, Ginny watched as he sat back in his seat and picked up the half-eaten piece of toast from his plate. 

“What’s wrong with you?” The toast was lifted to his mouth, but he paused so that he could look directly at her with a cock of his head. “I bet you haven’t heard a word I said, with your face stuck in that screen.” That’s when he took a bite of the bread and raised a single brow in accusation.

Ginny shouldn’t have felt sheepish. Why would she?

“Did you say anything important?” she asked lightly. It was a fight to not turn back to the iPad; it took considerable strength to give him all of her attention.

“Important?” Mike threw back somewhat lightly, but dripping with sarcasm. “Nope. Nothing at all.” And then it was something muttered under his breath, only for him to hear as the toast dropped to his plate and he went for his napkin.

Something had obviously caught his attention, as he looked behind her. Ginny scanned her fingers over the screen as she attempted to turn her head. 

“Mike... Lawson.” The breathy sigh of his name made it out before Ginny was able to turn completely, followed by the greeter, a young woman maybe a few years older than Ginny herself. 

Ginny only gave a quick once-over of the pretty and quietly excited woman, dressed simply enough in a casual T-shirt and jeans. Then she offered a smirk before drawing back to the screen. She was sure she was only missing out on witnessing more of the same: a fan, of the female persuasion, showing some idolization of the one and only Mike Lawson. Ginny’s smirk almost grew, but the footage now currently running on the screen in front of her turned it almost into a frown.

Was it ridiculous to focus so much on the fact that she was wracking up more foul balls lately than she had ever in her career? Maybe it was a bit ridiculous, but Ginny couldn’t help but be at least a little bit distracted by the laughable screwups her last run at bat had been…

“Nice to meet you, too.”

Mike’s quiet murmur was barely heard, but Ginny caught the slightly grinning girl walking away at the same time Mike’s attention was brought to the palm of his hand right in front of his face.

“Let me guess…”

“Do you really have to?” Mike asked with a quirk of his eyebrow. He huffed out a sigh just as he opened his sports jacket to place the now-visible piece of paper into his inner pocket.

Ginny rolled her eyes. “No, I guess not.”

Mike’s chin dipped down towards his shoulder and he turned his gaze in the direction of the way the woman had left.

“Just someone else wishing to have the Mike Lawson Experience,” he muttered (quite smugly).

“Oh, no doubt,” Ginny agreed, even sardonically. “I mean,” she sighed, leaning over the table, “who doesn’t want a piece of that action?”

Mike tilted his head, his eyebrows rising sharply. “Totally.” And then he offered up that one of a kind grin.

Ginny almost growled in frustration, but she couldn’t hold back rolling her eyes for a second time. “You’re pathetic, Lawson.”

“More like… too good to be true,” he countered, sounding rather thoughtful. He shrugged a single shoulder. “More importantly,” he added, raising a pointed finger in her direction, “at least I finally got your mind off of your problem.” Mike’s face scrunched up in accusation. “You didn’t even notice that the rest of our party left already. Because you got your nose stuck in that thing the entire time.”

Ginny’s mouth fell open and she let her back slip down across her chair. As she did a slow and careful scan across the long table they sat at, she closed her mouth, sucked in her cheek, and took a small bite into it.

It hadn’t been just the two of them a minute ago…. Where was Blip? Where was Sonny? Hm…

“You know what?” she asked, sitting up straight and firmly setting the iPad upside down on the table. She only looked at it for a second, holding in a small breath for a second before letting it out, and then turning back to Mike.

“What?” He shook his head. “Are you taking a break from stressing over your foul record long enough to finish breakfast? Cause we’re running out of time anyway.”

He was smug as… Ginny wrinkled her nose at him. “Yeah, that’s what I’m going to do.” Which made her look at her plate in front of her, without even daring to look at the overturned iPad next to it. She even picked up a piece of bacon, finding it slightly cold, but once in her mouth, proving to still taste pretty good. It turned into picking up her fork and digging into her eggs as well.

After a moment, she almost asked him what had happened to their teammates. Taking stock in the mostly empty plates on the table, she just figured they had excused themselves in order to either get their day started or to knock off somewhere else before they were required to actually get to work.She had work to do as well...

“It’s embarrassing.” Ginny’s sudden thought slipped out her mouth of its own volition.

“What’s that?” Mike asked in a murmur.

When Ginny looked up from her plate at him, a grimace covering her features as her feet slid across the floor in agitation, he was looking right at her. The look of curiosity turned into a similar frown before he put his own fork down, wiped his fingers on the napkin that lay on the table, and then went to rub at his bearded chin.

“Are you serious right now?” he ended up asking, the frown only increasing.

And Ginny knew she was being neurotic. Which made her rush to push her feet together, knocking her knees against each other, and bouncing on the tip of her toes.

“Okay, Captain,” she breathed out, eyes blinking upward until she settled back on him. “How do I stop  _ freaking  _ concentrating on the fact that every time I go up to bat, I’m fouling out and contributing more than my share?” Because if he had an answer…

“Let’s... make a bet,” Mike said lightly. He leaned back in his seat suddenly, his arms folding neatly over his chest and one leg stretched out in a way that Ginny could see it out from under the table.

“What do you mean a bet?” She knew she sounded cautious. Probably because of the cool demeanor he was now giving off. 

Mike’s right shoulder came up in a half-decent shrug as he puckered his lips. “You want to improve your average, but… you’re stuck in your own head so much about it that all you’re really doing is hurting yourself.”

Ginny gave a single shake of her head as her teeth chewed on a particular spot of her inner cheek again. It was telltale, but she couldn’t help it.

“I think you can do it, if you just admit that you’re in a slump right now- which is only causing that doubt to grow,” Mike added, his toe now tapping quietly against the floor.

Ginny looked away from him and their table, her eyes blinking once, twice, and for a third time before coming back to him. “And?” she said, waiting rather impatiently for him to go on.

“So maybe… a bet would help you see your way through it,” he finally completed. With a hand on his knee and a quiet groan, he sat up in his chair. “One month, starting with today’s game,” Mike said, leveling her with a challenging stare.

Ginny didn’t break. Her chin pointed down near her chest, but her mouth opened.

“One month,” she began slowly, waiting for him to finish his thought.

“If you can lower your foul average to… let’s say four per game…” He paused to give her a shit-eating grin that was probably beyond his conceited control to keep in. It was more so the number that had her curious though. “Then I win.”

Ginny’s eyes immediately squinted an she gave a quick shake of her head. Hunching her shoulders, she asked, “You win  _ what _ ?”

Mike pressed him lips into a firm line just as his hand moved away from his knee, up his thigh, followed quickly up his torso. When the idea hit him, it was evident by the smile. 

Ginny leaned into the table, her head shaking again as she looked at him imploringly. Just as she was about to vocalize her expectation for him to answer, she watched the frown appear on his face as he opened up his sports jacket and looked inside.

“I win….” His fingers disappeared into his pocket, slipping back out with the sheet of paper that had been recently put there. Looking back at her with that same winning grin, he told her, “The opportunity to show you the Mike Lawson Dating Experience.”

Silently, Ginny stared at him, only her mouth giving her away as she attempted to hold in a smile. But then it all went to hell as she barked out a laugh. One hand came up to clasp her mouth as the other fell hard on the table, gripping at the edge of it.

Mike had the nerve to smile at her still, seeming unperturbed by her reaction. Instead, he placed the paper back into his jacket before closing himself back up into it.

“Oh… my God.” Ginny removed her hand from her mouth, only to place it and her other hand on either side of her face. “So if I lower my average, then I get the Mike Lawson Dating Experience?” Sobering herself up, she took in a deep breath. “And what does that entail?”

His arms went across his chest again. “Dinner and conversation, done the Mike Lawson way,” he assured her smoothly.

“Why does that sound like an understatement?” She lifted an eyebrow, but her smile was appreciative. “Look at that, you made me smile.” He didn’t say anything as she turned her head down. “Okay, so… what do I get… if I don’t improve my average?” she asked, followed by a small sigh. 

“Well, first of all,” Mike began, pulling his arm from its tucked position and throwing a finger back at her face, “not only do you have the pleasure of simply beating me and proving me wrong.-”

“In this case, _ I _ would rather be wrong.” Ginny cut in quietly.

“But if you have to be right…” Mike pulled his hand back, folding his arms once again. “Make me pay for it, Baker.” He shrugged. “Pick your poison. You choose what you want if you win.”

She hadn’t even agreed to a bet, yet…

Watching Mike Lawson turn his attention to his glass of orange juice, grabbing it up and taking a gulp while turning away from her....

What would equal the sheer absurdity of what he’d proposed? Because no matter what he’d thought, the fact that he had a name for his dating style let her know that it couldn’t be good, no matter how many of his adoring fans probably were endeared to the thought. 

“Baker?” Her name was a murmur as he turned back to her, brows raising expectantly in her direction.

She took in a deep breath. “Okay… Okay.”

His head tilted and he raised his glass once more. “Okay?” Because that was all she had offered from her end of the table.

Ginny shook her head, her eyes fluttering before she dropped her hands in her lap firmly. 

“Okay, I’ll match you,” she said with all the confidence she could muster. She ran flat hands over her thighs over and over again. “See…” She paused, leaving her lips slightly parted.  An inkling of a smile took its place. “You see, I have a feeling that you feel this… ‘experience’ would be… this amazing thing.” 

Mike patted his hand over his chest right over her pocket where the paper was.  Then he nodded. “I can see why you’d think that.”

Ginny couldn’t contain her choked laughter. “Right,” she drawled out. “Yeah. Okay.” She could stop the next fit of giggles just about as well as the first. “Um… So… I’ll match you date for date.”

“Date for date?”

“Date for date,” Ginny confirmed with a nod, trying to ignore his curiosity. “You see, you can plan your Mike Lawson Dating Experience and… if I win, then I’ll show you the date a woman  _ really  _ expects to have when she wants an experience to remember.” A small but victorious smile crossed her face, truly happy with what she’d come up with on the spot.

“Date for date,” Mike muttered to himself, as if he were trying out the words for himself one more time. His hand hovered over his plate for all of a second before he picked up his toast again. He paused to seal the deal with, “Fine.” And then he took a hefty bite out of the toast.

Ginny inwardly groaned, her own appetite just as gone as it had be prior to the conversation. She couldn’t stop herself from glancing back at the iPad sitting on the table.

“I think this is… going to be fun,” Mike muttered.

Ginny crossed her feet over each other before tucking them under her chair as she looked back at him. ``

“Yeah,” she agreed warily, watching him stick out his hand towards her. “Real fun.”

When she took his hand in her own with a quick shake to seal the deal, his grin and crinkly eyes told her everything she needed to know about this bet.

  
  


****

 

With only two games left to impact her average, to either prove or disprove Mike on mind over matter,  she was surprised that he would give up some of his free time in order to help her. 

”It’s like you went right back in your head.” Mike’s two fingers thrummed lightly against her left temple while his sunglasses did nothing to hide his own frustration with her. “You’re still in your head, Baker.”

It was more so that look that he gave her that had her turning away, releasing the bat and dropping it where it landed with a thud, searching and grasping the bill of her cap and pulling it low over her face.

Ginny heard the crunch of his cleats more so than saw him walk away from her.

Turning her lips inward, holding on tightly to her bill, she twisted about a quarter way around before she let out a groan.

“I know!” she nearly screamed. She was just relieved that her audience was an audience of one. She didn’t know how she would have handled having her team, coaches or even fans around to see her struggle. “After I thought I’d pulled myself out of this stupid rut!” Ginny let out a little louder than before.

She swung around, ready to pick up the abused and battered bat, only to find it in Mike’s hand. So he hadn’t gone too far in his own frustration.

Ginny wiped her gloved hands across her pants, tilting her head and sighing out her utter annoyance.

Mike tossed the bat up into the air and caught it easily in his hand before leaning into her and presenting it back to her.

It took everything inside of her to not snatch it back in retaliation. Because, really,  _ what  _ retaliation? What had Mike done to deserve her ire? Still…

“Ready?” It was asked simply enough, yet Ginny heard the challenge in it. As if there wasn’t enough  _ challenges  _ she was being faced with.

Was Mike thinking the same thing? There was a wad of gum stuck somewhere in the side of his cheek that he chewed with conviction. Even though she couldn’t see his eyes through the sunglasses, the challenging stare was felt and known just the same.

“Two more games.” His whispered statement let her know he had the same thought on his mind. “That’s all.” Mike gave a single shake of his head. “That’s it.”

Ginny grimaced, wrapping her hands around the bat and grasping fiercely.

“I know,” she assured him, a wisp of bitterness leaking out on its own volition.

“You’re not doing this just to beat me, right?” Mike continued. And now she wasn’t so sure what his goal was in taunting her, because this was a sure taunt. 

How was it any surprise? “You’re really making this about yourself, Lawson?” Ginny took in a deep breath and rotated both her shoulders before swinging the bat out in front of her. With a shrewd glare his way and ignoring the smug pucker of his lips, she corrected, “It’s my game I care about more; not winning a date I get to plan for you.”

“Is that so?” he asked, smugness pretty much dripping.

Ginny rolled her eyes before muttering, “That’s so.”

Mike’s grin was immediate, a single shoulder raising. “Well let’s see you do just that, Baker. Improve your game and prove me right.” His chin went up a good inch or so. “Hit.”

Hm…

Challenge…

There were only two games left.

Freaking accepted.

 

****

 

_ You’re all in your head, Baker. _

Mike might as well had been standing right beside her instead of having one foot on third base and ready to sprint at the given moment. Not only was she definitely in her head, but he was right there with her.

“Out,” Ginny muttered, giving her head a good shake.

It would have been better to concentrate on the arena full of excited fans. It would have been better to concentrate of the fact that they were in the bottom of the eighth, with a practical runaway game; the Padres weren’t losing today.  _ That’s  _ what she should have been concentrating on. Because in reality, her little side bet meant nothing. Only about half the team knew about it, and no one else. And even those who did only shared the occasional ribbing over the past few weeks.  So…

It was just a date!

No matter  _ who  _ won the bet, all it was… was a freaking date.

All it really boiled down to was… who planned it. Right?

So it didn’t matter that she had pulled herself out of her slump just weeks ago, almost guaranteeing that Mike would be called the victor. What had mattered was that she’d built some confidence back in herself and her abilities. The fact that she had entered that slump again in the last week or so, making everything weigh on this  _ one last game… _

The important thing was that Ginny wasn’t about to cause herself or her team any embarrassment just because her hit at bat would consist of two foul ball and a couple strikes before she made productive contact with the ball, sending Mike a chance to make it home.  So… the best thing to do was… 

_ Get out of your damn head, Baker! _

And, no, it wasn’t her own voice fussing at her with pure and uninhibited agitation.

Ginny dropped her chin to her chest, took in a deep breath and held it for just a moment. Just one more moment before she pushed it all out of her head, and she prepared herself for the next pitch to come her way.

Well, ready or not....

  
  


****

**11:31PM**

**_This sucks Baker. Can’t sleep._ **

_ Why? From all the excitement? _

**_Game winning excitement?_ **

_ You tell me. _

_ … _

**_Oh, you’re thinking BET WINNING EXCITEMENT!_ **

**_Just remember: I didn’t bring that up._ **

_ Mike Lawson being a sore winner?? NEVER! _

_ What is it? What’s on your mind? _

**_Well now…_ **

_ Screw you _

**_I’m not the one who brought it up._ **

**_Did I wake you up? Hoping not, since it didn’t take you long to answer._ **

_ It’s kind of amazing, the human body. Even after a long game, I didn’t feel the need to rush off to nap it all off. Nope, you didn’t wake me. _

**_Ouch. This must be why the more common phrase is sore loser instead of sore winner. Why don’t you stop trying to rub in the fact that I got 13 years on you, why don’t you?_ **

_ I’m not a sore loser. _

**_Sure about that._ **

_ But I do think you winning the bet had something to do with this late night text fest. _

**_If I’m bothering you, say the word Baker._ **

_ You’re not. _

**_But maybe the thought of finally having the MLDE is?_ **

_ You abbreviated it. Please tell me that was solely for text purposes. _

**_It was solely for text purposes._ **

_ Yeah, ok. _

**_I hope you’re not beating yourself up over tonight’s win._ **

_ Why would I do that? _

**_You know you were a critical part in that victory. Be proud of everything you accomplished tonight, including keeping that foul avg down._ **

_ I think the bet held me hostage. I’m ready to focus on pitching. Like 100%. _

**_I didn’t bet you so that you would lose focus. I feel like that’s my fault._ **

_ It was good in the beginning. _

**_Not so much in the end when I was winning_ **

_ And reminding me of that winning? _

**_You got out your head and did exactly what you wanted to do. I don’t see how MY WINNING isn’t a WIN-WIN for you._ **

_ Meaning… the MLDE?? _

_ Promise to go easy on me? _

**_Doesn’t sound like a TRUE MLDE if I did._ **

_ Ngl, sounds scary. _

_ Mm… any dancing? _

**_Nope_ **

_ Dinner at home??? _

**_Ha! Not a part of Stage 1, get real Baker._ **

_ I’m in Stage 1. _

**_Well, anything beyond that would probably REALLY scare you._ **

_ Ook _

_ Do you got a day in mind?  _

**_Ready to get this over and done with I take it._ **

_ I’m ready. _

**_For a while I didn’t think you were._ **

_ Well… _

**_I’m going to put you out of your misery soon enough._ **

**_We’re back home for 3 days next week. How about that?_ **

_ Can’t wait. _

**_Sarcasm?_ **

_ Must be, huh? _

**_Ok I’m hitting the sheets now._ **

_ Bored you to sleep finally? _

**_Must be, huh?_ **

_ Night Lawson _

**_Goodnight_ **

  
  


****

 

Ginny grabbed on to the doorknob and unlocked the deadbolt, then flew the door open. She didn’t know what to expect, but felt as if she was ready for anything and everything. At least… she thought she was ready for anything and everything. She was wrong.

He was missing the suit jacket, but other than that, Mike looked impeccable in the pressed navy blue dress shirt, which was accented by a lighter shade of blue tie, and darker dress pants. He hadn’t been sporting a shaggy beard as of late, but it was easy to note that he had definitely had a trim since the last time she’d seen him. 

“Good evening, Ginny.” Mike had greeted her easily enough with only a hint of gruff in his voice. She noted the distinction of  _ Ginny  _ instead of  _ Baker _ , but also the way he offered up an appreciative glance of her from head to toe.

They’d make quite the pair tonight, wouldn’t they?

Closing her eyes briefly, letting her lashes fall to her cheeks, she attempted to hide her smile as she took a step back, making sure to tuck one leg behind the other and squeeze tight. Mike was taking this seriously, apparently, and it made her choice of  short and skimpy, off one shoulder, black cocktail dress all the more appropriate.

“First of all,” Ginny began slowly, noticing the huskiness of her voice already, “I’m wondering if you’re already past stage one.”

Mike folded his hands in front of him as he leaned his body forward in her direction, a look of curiosity bringing his brows together.

“Are you really meeting your first dates at their door, Lawson?” she asked in clarification. “Because all I can picture is a car pulling up to her door, with the driver passing on a note that reads how much you’re looking forward to her making it to the restaurant on time.”

Mike pursed his lips as he gave a single shake of his head and breathing out deeply.

“So many things there,” he murmured, hands flexing out in the space between them. “For one, it’s usually gonna be either  _ Mike  _ or  _ Mike Lawson _ \- for those who may be a bit starstruck.”

Ginny’s mouth open, but she only inhaled a small breath before her lips quirked into a semi-smile. She almost tore her gaze from him, but she held firm and lifted her chin about a quarter of an inch.

“For two,” he continued, placing his left hand down to his side while he held up two fingers at her on his right hand, “and this is really important for you to remember, I’m showing you the true Mike Lawson Dating Experience.”

She couldn’t help that coughed laugh that bubbled out of her…

“Which means you shouldn’t be throwing in your commentary on what would be happening if, you know,  _ you  _ had won the bet.”

Ginny gave a quick and dismissive shake of her head as she uncrossed her legs in order to take a step back. “I didn’t win the bet,” she acknowledged willingly.

“You didn’t win the bet,” he said slowly, letting that fact ruminate in her mind. 

“Okay.”

“So-”

“You can get back to it,” Ginny muttered quickly, conceding once more with an insignificant flutter of her fingers

“You look… phenomenal, Ginny.” It was gruff, but it sounded sincere, and…

Oh, damn. She blamed it on… Ginny didn’t know what to blame it on, but she tried to ignore the sudden slam of her heart against her chest, as well as the overall quickening pace of her pulse. Maybe the little girl with Mike Lawson posted on her bedroom wall.

“Just… wow.” Mike took a seemingly cautious step towards her, his hand out as if to take her own.

Ginny rubbed her thumb over her palm, noting only to herself that it was still dry to the touch,  before she plastered a smile on her face and lifted it towards him.

Mike raised her hand high in the air, extending her arm and coaxing her into a quick and tight twirl.

“So I did okay?” she asked quietly, ignoring the huskiness of her voice because that would signal something, if only to herself. “Based on how you’re dressed, I’m thinking I didn’t overdo it.”

“Mm… Like I said: phenomenal.”

Facing him once again, she detached her hand from his, but stepped closer to him.

“Thanks, Mike.” It should have sounded sincere, because she meant it in no other way. And… oh! She placed her now free hand to her hip, placed all her weight on that leg, and gave him a quick once-over. “You look really good yourself. You do well... “ What?  _ At finding just the right color that brings out your eyes? _ Um… no. “Cleaning up.” Yep, she was happy with that.

Mike brought his fingers up to his jawline, lightly rubbing the spot. “Yeah,” he murmured, already sounding smug, “I can see that.”

Unable to stop her eyelids from fluttering in annoyance, as well as groaning, Ginny threw a soft punch at his arm as she passed by him.

“I’m ready to get this started.” She glanced back his way, but kept walking towards the door.

“You sure that isn’t code for ‘I’m ready to get this over and done with?’” Hands finding their way to slip into his pockets, Mike offered up those same curious eyebrows while looking every bit contrite.

No, Ginny wasn’t ready to get this thing over and done with… What she was was ready to see just what he had in store for her. She was ready to live out the Mike Lawson Dating Experience, Stage One…

She pursed her lips and raised her eyes up towards the ceiling, feigning real consideration to his question. “Yeah, I’m sure. Now… come on.”

She really hadn’t needed to do coaxing; Mike was right behind her. And, for some unexplained reason, there was a smile tugging on her face. “Let’s get this started.”

 

****

  
  


What had Ginny expected? That was a real question. Maybe it was a bit of the reality, especially since Mike had nixed the idea of dancing right off the bat. Not that she was surprised. Would she ever get him on any dance floor? Dinner…

She had dressed for the occasion based on his suggestion:  _ Formal will work. _ Again, not surprising. When she was being treated to the Mike Lawson Dating Experience, it seemed fitting that a quiet and ultra-exclusive restaurant was a part of the deal, with its intimate tables of two spaced far apart, giving as much privacy to each pair of residence as possible. When she had set there with Mike, it had been a bit disconcerting the way he steered the conversation away from work, away from baseball, away from the typical things that they shared together or had in common. But… it was just another way to see a different side of Mike, and for him to see a different part of her eventually. Apparently, that was something he wanted? Apparently… Ginny really  _ was _ supposed to play the part of the woman experiencing the Mike Lawson Dating Experience for the first time.

Ginny had almost laughed to herself countless times when she let her mind drift in a certain direction. She had been on plenty of group outings with Mike and various members of the team. They had been out plenty of times just the two of them. So how come this was different? Well… in all honesty… before that night, she had never been on  _ a date  _ with Mike. And this was a specific kind of date. A date with purpose, she guessed, because it was supposed to be an  _ experience _ .

Mike had laid it on thick. What held their attention if it wasn’t their common interest in careers and friends. Ginny wouldn’t have thought Mike would be so good at putting his date first, learning things about her even more so than talking about himself. Sorry! So she got the self-absorbed quality in him a little wrong! Not that he hadn’t shared things about himself as well. They were just things… that she hadn’t known about it. Not baseball- or baseball friends-related. He had gotten deeper than that. And even with the friendship that Ginny had had with him, that personal relationship that she’d thought they’d had, didn’t measure up to the depth in which she got that night. So when he had felt that comfortable to share with her, how could she not feel the same? After all, this was Mike Lawson…

She had liked the comfortableness factor they had shared. First dates could be difficult. Even though this was a supposed mock-up, there had still been those butterflies. Okay, not all that nervousness had been due to being unsure of what to do or how to act on a date with a man who was not only a good friend, but also her teammate and captain. Okay... some of that nervousness had been the attractive qualities of the man with her, as well as her (sometimes) undeniable attraction she’d had to him. And… there had been an attraction that she’d been pretty successful at pushing away for months. It was just a lot easier when  _ this  _ type of intimacy had never come into play.

So… there had been some intimate underlays to this date. But, Ginny had been quick and often to remind her, Mike was playing a part. Right? The part he’d originated. The part of  _ the _ Mike Lawson, legend of the baseball diamond. She had to admit: he played the part very well…

  
  


****

 

“Wait a minute,” Mike called out to her, just as she was making her way away from the car and towards Mike’s house. “I got something for you to carry in.”

He wasn’t looking at her, instead he was raising the trunk’s lid and peering inside.

Ginny turned on her heel to fully face him. Her lips parted in silent curiosity before, with head tilted and eyebrowed dragged together, she took a careful step, and then another,towards him. By the time she had reached him, the trunk was quietly being shut and a backpack was hanging loosely from his grip.

She blinked her eyes first at the backpack, and then over at him.

“What’s that?”

Mike shoved the bag at her. “It’s yours.”

Her chin jutted out towards him. “Mine?” She took hold of one of the straps before carelessly slinging the light weight of  it over her shoulder.

“Yours,” he repeated. Pressing on the bottom of the bag, he sufficiently helped turn her back in the direction of the house. “Now get a move on.”

“Yes, Captain,” Ginny told him mockingly, stopping just short of a salute, but moving her feet at a brisk pace.

His huff was surprising as he came to walk beside her. So was his answering, “Damn right.”

Without looking at him, Ginny hid her instant smile by biting down on her bottom lip. She shook her head as she took in the house in front of her. 

She wouldn’t have thought that their date would have led them here. Not after the intensity- be in all in her mind or not- of a romantic-enough candlelit dinner. What he had in mind for after that, for now… she couldn’t fathom.

Mike pulled ahead of her just slightly as they made their way to his door, grasping for his keys that had been placed in his pocket at some point. 

Ginny ran her fingers across the strap of the bag on her opposite shoulder before tugging it higher as she waited for the door to open. She glanced back at the car they’d just left, trying not to let her any one thought stay in her mind for too long. Taking in a small breath at the sound of the door swinging open, she turned back around and took stepped forward.

Mike ushered her in, letter her go first, which she didn’t mind. She only went as far as about five steps before she turned back towards Mike, seeing him lock the door behind them.

“So is this supposed to be a present?” she asked in a murmur, hefting up both shoulders.

Mike offered a raise of a single brow as his own question.

Ginny couldn’t help but smirk. “Does that look mean it’s  _ not  _ a present?”

“Mm, I wouldn’t go that far, but…” His own hand touched the same strap she had been holding onto over her shoulder. “Just something you can use while you’re here.”

“Hm,” Ginny remarked, perking up and standing on the tips of her toes. “Interesting. Can I look?” She dropped the backpack down, fingers finding the tab to the zipper and then pausing.

“Go ahead,” Mike murmured. Instead of staying to watch her, he moved away, slipping farther into the house.

Ginny looked over her shoulder at him, watching him make his into the kitchen and hitting the lights as he passed. Pursing her lips, she gave a short shrug before unzipping the bag. 

Like she’d noted, there wasn’t much in there, but sitting at the bottom seemed to be some sort of clothing. Something obviously made of cotton. Ginny twisted back around, found Mike behind his kitchen island with his hand up to unknot his tie. She drew her hand into the bag until she was pulling out the oversized dark blue cotton button-up shirt. Her fingers rubbed into the material before she threw the shirt over her shoulder and went back into the backpack. Underneath the shirt had been some matching cotton pants, seemingly more her size.

Lips parting, by the time Ginny looked back at Mike, the tie was draped across the island and he was working on undoing the last cuff of his shirt. It was then, with a tilt of her chin, she thought she understood. 

“Are we getting a bit more comfortable?” she asked lightly.

Mike flicked his wrist, shaking lightly. “I think we both did a nice job at looking the part for dinner, yeah.” He gave a single shake of his head. “But this part of our date would be a hell of a lot better done out of the evening clothes.”

Ginny almost laughed at that, but did smile down at the floor.

“So go ahead upstairs and change, Ginny,” Mike murmured.

It was then that she looked over at him.

“Then you can meet me in the living room for the final installment of our date.”

Was she supposed to argue  “Okay, Mike.” She was slow to move, but curious all the while. Interesting…

 

****

 

If she was honest with herself- and why not be honest to herself?- Ginny couldn’t have complained about anything dealing with their date. It hadn’t been exactly what she had thought it would have been. It wasn’t what she would have planned for them if she had been the one to win their bet. But that was the point of it anyway, right? She’d believed one thing; Mike believed something else.

There was nothing that she  _ didn’t  _ like about their date, but… Ginny could easily admit that… sitting beside Mike on his couch, feet tucked underneath her and fingers gripping at a couple of buttons of the oversized shirt she was wearing… this had to be her favorite part. Easily. She took a quick bite of her bottom lip as she leaned towards the left, towards Mike. She watched as his on hand found the popcorn bowl between then, digging on top and taking about half a handful before bringing it up to his smile. 

He’d let her pick the baseball-themed movie based on a Google search. She’d steered away from the serious, found in  _ 42; _ she’d rejected two classics which were out before she was born in  _ A League of Their Own  _ and  _ Field of Dreams _ ( _ Classics, Gin.  _ Classics). Instead, she had went for something easy, something fun, and something she didn’t see as a Mike Lawson typical movie in the least:  _ Fever Pitch.  _ ( _ Jimmy Fallon as a romantic lead, huh? Definitely gonna have to bring this one up next time I see him.) _

“This is really great.” The thought popped out of her mouth, and before she had time to regret her verbal reverie, Mike glanced at her, his hand digging back into the bowl.

“Yeah?” Mike quirked a brow as he slouched into his seat. “What’s that?”

What had she just been referring to, in reality? Hm…

Ginny shook her head, bringing her hand up into her hair and coming her fingers through it. “Honestly, Mike-”

“Honestly?” He juggled the popcorn in his hand before popping it into his mouth.

“ _ Honestly _ , you… surprised me tonight.”

His huff was immediate, followed by a gloating, “I’m not surprised that I surprised you.”

Ginny rolled her eyes at that. “Of course not.” She tilted her head as her gaze fixated on a small fleck of popcorn that had landed in his beard. Taking in a small breath, she leaned forward in order to remove it.

He was watching her carefully, then lean his chin up when he realized what had prompted her.

Ginny scrunched up her nose. “Beards.” It was nearly a grumble.

“Ah, come on. You love the beard.”

Maybe not the beard, but she thought… maybe she’d loved this.

Ginny smile as she placed the popcorn on a napkin on the table in front of them before she set back against the couch.

“So… this was good?” Mike asked after a moment. “You enjoyed the date? Even the corny part where we come back to my place, get out of designer digs and trade them in for something softer, then just sit and watch baseball movies and eat popcorn?”

She nodded her head in complete assurance while tucking her feet tighter underneath her. “This was good, Mike. You did really good.” 

They held each other’s gaze for only a moment longer… before Mike turned back to the movie. But Ginny couldn’t take her eyes off of his profile.

“You… kind of blow me away, Lawson.”

He’d said it to her before, and she saw that dawning moment of him remembering. His chin tilted down and he froze for all of a second before he turned back towards her, his eyes blinking once then twice on her.

Ginny cleared her throat just as she saw him about to speak. “So is this  _ really  _ what the Mike Lawson Dating Experience, Date One, is truly like?”

Mike turned his body fully towards her, lifting a knee carefully guided up by both his hands, up onto the couch. He didn’t quite match her position, but it was close enough.

“You definitely got the Mike Lawson Dating Experience,” he assured her in a quiet murmur. He perked up a bit, hefting himself up onto his seat and straightening his back. “You see, first dates are usually with a woman who has this… ideal of who I am. They know what they know based on a public persona. So… “ He glanced up, searching for something to add before looking back at her. “Dinner at a nice restaurant  A chance to  _ impress _ while also making a woman comfortable enough to be relaxed and have a conversation.”

As he listed off his explanation, Ginny could easily agree with everything he’d said.

“And do first dates usually continue from dinner to your place for an old baseball movie and popcorn?” she asked huskily, truly curious is this really was a part of the Mike Lawson Dating Experience.

Mike pressed his side into the couch, digging in just a bit as he kept his eyes straight on her. “What do you think?” He squinted at her, looking somewhat mockingly. “Feeling special?”

“Ha!” But she felt the sudden shock to her heart. “Should I be? Or do you use the ‘We’ve been staunch and proper long enough this night. Let’s take our hair down and  _ really  _ get to know each other,’ routine as much as possible?”

Mike let out a gut-busting laugh, his hand coming up to wipe across the entirety of his beard. “I haven’t been using it as much as possible.” His arm came to lay across the back of the couch as he leaned towards her conspiratorially. “Think I should?”

_ Maybe on the nights where you want to get laid. _

Thank God her brain was able to filter that thought before it came out of her mouth…

“If you get that right vibe, then sure,” she said instead, much safer than the other thought. “I think it’ll definitely get you some points, based on the first part of the night.”

Mike grabbed a single kernel of popcorn and put it in his mouth. “Noted.”

Ginny glanced over at the television, noting the excitement of Fallon’s Ben the teacher excitedly jumping into the delivery truck driver’s arms now that he was in possession of his season tickets.

“When do you make your first move?” she asked quietly.

“Depends on that vibe you were talking about,” he answered just as quietly.

“Hm.” Ginny pressed her hand against her thigh, smoothing down the length of it before going into the bowl of popcorn. She came out with a few between her two fingers and thumb and quickly into her mouth. “Why do I see you waiting for  _ her  _ to make the first move?” She looked right at him then, treated to a nonchalant shrug.

“Maybe it’s because I can,” he suggested. 

“Because just being on a date with you is prize enough,” she mocked back.

Again, the look he gave her let her know that things were what they were.

Damn, she wanted to kiss him.

Ginny leaned into the couch and let her face fall into into it. Of course she wasn’t going to kiss Mike Lawson. Date experience or no date experience. Bet or no bet. But the thought was now on her mind, and it was all his fault.

She felt his hand at the top of her head. The pressure wasn’t intimate, but for as long as they’d been together that night, the amount of physical contact was very little.

“That could be it, yeah,” Mike agreed finally,

She brought her hand up and placed it over his before removing both from her head.

“You know what?”

His smile was small. “What?”

“From beginning to this moment here, I’ve really been having a good time. If I had to lose a bet, I’m glad that this was my punishment. It was worth seeing my average go down, if only just a little at the very end.” It was in that moment that she was at peace with the fact that they wouldn’t share a kiss. The friendship they had was a good one. There were reasons why she didn’t date baseball players… right? The only thing that brought them here tonight was… a bet, right?

Right! On all aspects.

“I’m sure it would’ve been interesting if you’d won, but I’m glad we got to do this my way.” His eyes crinkled in the corners in that very handsome Mike way.

“A chance to show off your game?” Ginny rolled her eyes. “I’m not surprised.”

“Oh, so you admit it?” He was tickled at her slipped-up acknowledgement. “You gotta-” His hand came up in a fist. “Pound it, Baker. You gotta.”

She shook her head while licking her lips. “You got game, yeah. Your… milkshake brings all the girls to the yard.” She brought her fist up to his, knocking lightly. And the contact was too small and too brief for the admission she’d made.

“I can teach you, but I have to charge,” Mike countered, laughing deeply.

His comeback was something else that didn’t surprise her.

“Okay, I’m missing the movie,” she muttered, turning her body straight in order to focus on  _ Fever Pitch _ .

“Ah, come on.” Mike took hold on the bowl of popcorn that had separated them, placing it down on the table in front of them. Then he pulled at her arm, bringing her closer against him. 

“You’re not making a move, are you, Lawson?” she asked teasingly, even if that contact made her whole body tingle. 

“It’s still a date. That’s Mike or Mike Lawson,” he reminded her.

“You just called me Baker!”

“My bad.”

Ginny licked her lips again as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Her head went to lay against his shoulder, and it felt… completely right.

No, there wasn’t a kiss. Instead, there was a heavy stench of friendship hanging over them. But it was laced with something else. Only, it wasn’t enough to change the situation. At least… not now.

She found herself scooting closer, laying a hand at his knee, just for now.

“I’m happy you won the bet, Mike.”

His hand went back on the top of her head and he let out a gruff grunt. “Huh. Don’t I know it!”


End file.
